Woman found guilty of shooting dead and TENTH husband for $175,000 insurance money... then she blamed her teenage son

In court: The jury took just an hour to deliberate before finding Maxwell, pictured, guilty

A Texas woman has been found guilty of shooting dead her 10th husband to collect his $175,000 life insurance, despite trying to blame her own son for the slaying.



Sharon Maxwell, 44, lied and said her 19-year-old son, James, shot her husband Gordon Maxwell four times in the head and then set fire to his body in his pick-up truck in an attempt to get off the murder charge.

But a jury, at the District Court in Gilmer, failed to believe her version of events on Friday and she was convicted of the brutal murder of her husband of less than five months


Prosecutors said Maxwell, who has been divorced nine times, wanted to collect the $175,000 life insurance on her husband.

Dead: Gordon Maxwell, pictured, was shot repeatedly by his wife then doused in gasoline and set on fire

They also speculated that Mr Maxwell was planning to leave his wife after he found out she was cheating on him.

The court heard Maxwell had been having sex with a former lover in the days before her husband was shot dead in August 2011.

After being killed, his body was dragged from the home he shared with Maxwell and dumped in his pick-up truck where he was doused with gasoline and set on fire.

Scapegoat: Sharon Maxwell lied and said her 19-year-old son, James, pictured, shot her husband Gordon Maxwell

The court heard Mr Maxwell had previously told friends at the steel plant where he worked that his wife was 'good with a .357' handgun.

Friends advised him to get out the marriage after they warned him being married to Maxwell 'could cut his life short'.

Former Baptist preacher Gordon Maxwell, 46, was found dead in the burnt out wreck of his pick-up truck.

His wife told investigators three different stories, first claiming her husband's truck was on fire and then said a .22 calibre gun had gone off accidentally during an argument.

Emotional: The 44-year-old, pictured, cried as she was handed life in prison

Court: Maxwell was sentenced to life in prison on Friday at Upshur County Justice Center in Gilmer, Texas, pictured

She claimed her husband had attacked her and the gun fired during the incident.

When detectives pointed out he was shot four times in the head at his home in Ore City, Maxwell claimed her teenage son was to blame.

She said she had helped him dispose of the body because she didn't want to harm the reputation of her former preacher husband.

Jurors were shown video of her police interviews where Maxwell took time answering questions. One detective said she was making up the answers as she went along.

Guilty: Sharon Maxwell, 44, pictured, has been found guilty of murdering her husband who she shot four times in the head and then set fire to his body

One of her ex-husbands told the court she had ended their marriage over the phone while he was away on business.

The court heard that Maxwell was unable to collect on the life insurance payout as her husband had to be employed for at least 90 days.

Prosecutor Billy Byrd said Maxwell was a 'great actress' and the case was all about lies, deceit and manipulation.

The jury took an hour to find Maxwell guilty of murder. She is likely to be sentenced to life in prison on Monday. She was fined $10,000 and will not be eligible for parole until 2042.

Family members of the victim wept together after the verdict.